So excited about tomorrow

dss62467

Cathlete
I'm taking my 4 yr. old little girl for her first ice skating experience tomorrow! I have a feeling it's going to be a waste of money because she was totally intimidated by her attempt to rollerblade last summer.

Anyone have any advice on how to teach her? Not that I'm any good. I'll probably end up on the ice as much as her.
 
Have fun!! Don't push too hard, you would be amazed at how fast they get tired out so take breaks whenever she wants and keep it light. Bring or buy hot chocolate, meaning don't make it all about the skating but the being together.

We have several of our local lakes and the pond frozen over and we have been skating quite a bit this winter. I didn't think my kids would like it much either, but they are having a blast! I had to get them all new skates. I have had many hit and misses, but I like to think that I keep offering opportunities to them and something will eventually grab their interest.....I really hope you daughter loves it as much as we do:)
 
I know most of the arenas around here have little "walkers" that the kids can use. Otherwise just get her to take little steps.

My family is big into hockey, my son who is 7 is a hockey goalie. (Around here, the kids start playing hockey at age 4) and my husband always floods the backyard to make a rink. My daughter is 4 and hates being cold and outside. I have taken her inside skating a few times and she can "walk" around with the walker. It's really hard on your back to bend over and hold them up for very long. I have seen people use stools or chairs instead of walkers.

Have fun! Kim
 
One thing that can be used as a walker is milk crates. Get two of them, put one on top of the other, and fasten them together (duct tape works well). Your daughter can stand behind this, hold on and push it while she "skates." It works really well, and it does save your back from having to be bent over the whole time. Have a great time--skating is a blast!

-Marie:)
 
I have never been iceskating Donna :( but i think Sandra should jump in here. I heard her mention iceskating a few days ago.
have fun!


jes:D
 
Too funny, tonight on the news they did a segment on this very subject. One of the things mentioned that has not been brought up here yet was protective gear. They suggested helmet and pads, as in elbow and knee. They brought up all the things already mentioned which made me smile. Very smart group ladies, this was all they added!;-)
 
Thanks everyone. We'll be hitting the rink right after I workout and shower! I have already planned to bring her helmet and pads. I don't know how worried I am about bending over to hold on to her - as I've mentioned before, I'm pretty short. I don't have to bend over with her - she was over half my height before she was 3!
 
Donna~
Big hockey family here. All 4 of my kids had skating lessons, and my two boys are travel /high school players. We have been into skating and hockey for 12plus years as a family. The big thing is to keep it fun. I highly recommend a walker or pusher objest besides you. She can have her independence that way. Also, let her learn to pick herslef up when she falls and not have you do it every time. Oh, and Hot chocholate is a must when you are finished!

Have fun! I remember those days with great fondness. We still have the first pair of hockey skates that all 4 kids wore starting at age 2! I'll never get rid of them.
Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
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Donna ~
I don't have any "tips" but I did want to thank you for jogging my memory! My daughter's 17 but I remember tying on her first set of ice skates when she was about 4 years old and taking her out on my in-law's pond for the first time. Have fun! Have someone shoot some video or snap some pix! Savor every moment and have hot chocolate afterward while you marvel at the "roses" in her cheeks!
~ Kim
 
You may want to purchase ice skates that strap on to her shoes. We took my daughter ice skating for the first time when she was about 4. She is a real drama queen, she just cried & had a fit the entire time skating. We both love ice skating. Her dad found some strap on blades, I think at Lillian catalogue. She loved them and enjoyed skating. Once she got about 9, she refused to use them and graduated to regular skates. I skated my first time at the age of 30.
 
We just got back from our day...ice skating, Pizza Hut (oh...who cares? It was my first time since August), grocery shopping and library. She had a great time at skating. There was only one other person skating at the rink while we were there. She started off great, with the skates on...then got a little iffy when we got on the ice. She didn't want to use the walker and wanted me to hold her hands. She was whining and saying she didn't want to skate anymore. I told her that we'd go after one lap around the rink. Well, after a few more feet she decided she wanted to try the walker and after that...she LOVED it! We made it around 5 times before the open skating was over and the hockey guys were to take over the rink. I forgot my camera, but luckily my new cell phone has a camera on it, so the guy who was skating there took our picture.

I think this is something we will do quite frequently and hopefully she'll soon be able to do it without the walker. We didn't get hot chocolate, they didn't seem to have a concession stand. Plus it wasn't exactly cold in the building.

The next adventure? Her first time sledding! (she was too scared to try this before, but now wants to go)
 
Glad you had fun! i had a "pizza incident" myself yesterday! did you find George Martin at the library?

jes
 
Yes, Jes, I picked it up today. I have about 50 pages left in Insomnia to finish, so I imagine I'll start the George Martin by Monday. I'd start it sooner, but I'm visiting family out of town this week. I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks again for the tip!
 

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